People deliberately harm pets to get prescriptions for opioids

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — It’s an all-time low for people trying to get high. Some are deliberately and intentionally harming their pets in order to get a prescription for opioids.

According to a study by the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, people addicted to opioids are injuring their own pets, or even dogs not belonging to them, to satiate their opioid obsession.

In response, CU Anschutz has created an online course for veterinarians to detect such cases.

At Alameda East veterinarian hospital in Aurora, Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald said this has been a problem for some time.

He also said veterinarians are playing catch-up. There are safeguards at his clinic already in place for such abuse.

Dr. Lee Newman from CU Anschutz and Fitzgerald both agree, the problem of procuring painkillers from pets is likely under reported, and only the tip of the iceberg.

Link

WHAT!!! I haven't heard this before. I can't imagine being that big of an asshole. Sometimes humanity just disgusts me.

Jim

Seems to me a dime bag of heroin is a lot cheaper than a $400.00 vet bill. Plus ultram isn't actually going to get you high.

After 15 years of retail pharmacy, I wish I could say I'm surprised. The lengths people will go to in order to get their fix is unreal.

quote:

eems to me a dime bag of heroin is a lot cheaper than a $400.00 vet bill. Plus ultram isn't actually going to get you high.

Some of these folks do not think so clearly. I would bet they also do not pay their vet bills. This vet business has been going on for awhile, along with other nefarious schemes to obtain opiates. Cancer patients are often targets for break ins etc. The parking lots of pain management clinics are often very busy places. Addicts will find a way.

Ultram doesn't get you high in the usual sense of the word, correct, but it does give you energy and a sense of vitality and gets you through a rough day. It's become mother's (and father's) little helper. Ask me how I know. (And no, I no longer use it.)

There's quite a lot I would do to get my pain meds, but harming an innocent animal...no.

Wait, I thought pot was so cheap and legal in Colorado, so all other drugs would be ignored.

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
Wait, I thought pot was so cheap and legal in Colorado, so all other drugs would be ignored.

Not so at all. When marijuana was legalized in CO it was taxed at such a high rate that the illegal pot market is thriving. It's true that many who can afford it buy their pot legally but law enforcement spend a good bit of their time and resources raiding illegal pot grow operations. Illegal pot grows were in operation prior to legalization but have greatly increased since it was legalized. National forests, rural ranching areas, and many illegal grows inside suburban homes. Many of the larger illegal grows are run by foreign cartels. All the associated crimes with illegal pot grows are common as well, including exporting it out of state, theft and murder.

...and yes, heroin and opiod use is a huge problem in CO and on the rise.

I wasn't aware that addicts were harming animals and this story saddens me.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
When marijuana was legalized in CO it was taxed at such a high rate that the illegal pot market is thriving. It's true that many who can afford it buy their pot legally but law enforcement spend a good bit of their time and resources raiding illegal pot grow operations. Illegal pot grows were in operation prior to legalization but have greatly increased since it was legalized. National forests, rural ranching areas, and many illegal grows inside suburban homes. Many of the larger illegal grows are run by foreign cartels. All the associated crimes with illegal pot grows are common as well, including theft and murder. Statistics indicate that use by minors had increased and then stabilized however adult use is on the increase...

Funny, when "legalized weed" has been discussed here in the past, and the problems you outline above were predicted, those who made those predictions were mocked as merely being uninformed fools.

quote:

Originally posted by DMF:
Funny, when "legalized weed" has been discussed here in the past, and the problems you outline above were predicted, those who made those predictions were mocked as merely being uninformed fools.

In all fairness, while I didn't mock anyone in any threads, I supported marijuana legalization in CO and voted for it. I'm a Conservative with a small "l" libertarian streak. Although I don't use marijuana I know many that do and I support the freedom to choose. I wasn't happy with the marijuana bill as written partly because I don't support "sin" taxes and while I have no problem with taxing it, certainly not at the exorbitant rate that was passed.

I honestly thought the bill had no chance to pass and so I thought I would "send a message" of freedom by voting for it.

It's true that freedom has been advanced to some degree with legalization, and the Pros of more jobs, more tax revenue are widely acknowledged to have helped the state...BUT, legalization isn't the panacea that some think it is and there are significant negative impacts that seem to get swept under the rug by supporters.

I could fill pages with all the problems we've experienced in Colorado since legalization. I won't go into detail in this thread as I've already helped in going off topic, but I've added my perspective in a previous thread.

In principal, in theory, I still support legalization. What I had expected to happen was that once pot was legalized users would be so appreciative that they would be eager to guard their new found freedom and would be responsible in its use and be good neighbors and custodians. They would use it in private, use it responsibly, and would work to not cause problems.

In reality, while I'll be the first to acknowledge that there are many responsible pot users, just the opposite has happened and many pot users largely abuse this new freedom and could care less about how their use is negatively impacting their communities and the state.

What I've come to realize is that freedom is a great thing and should be promoted whenever possible...BUT for Freedom to work it must be accompanied by personal and moral responsibility, which seems to be largely lacking now.

Knowing what I know now, if I was able to vote again on the issue I would vote against legalization. But the genie is out of the bottle and I don't see it being put back in. Sadly, the best thing that can happen for Colorado is if other states follow suit and legalize marijuana so that we can "export" some of our problems and lessen the impact locally.

"What I've come to realize is that freedom is a great thing and should be promoted whenever possible...BUT for Freedom to work it must be accompanied by personal and moral responsibility, which seems to be largely lacking now.

Knowing what I know now, if I was able to vote again on the issue I would vote against legalization. But the genie is out of the bottle and I don't see it being put back in. Sadly, the best thing that can happen for Colorado is if other states follow suit and legalize marijuana so that we can "export" some of our problems and lessen the impact locally."

I couldn't put my finger on why society would regret legalizing MJ since I didn't have enough experience to guide my perspective. I just sensed it was a bad move. Now we see why and it's too late. My spidey senses tell me it's an even bigger mistake to "export" Colorado's problems to other States in the name of easing the burden by spreading the load. I don't think it will happen the way you think it will.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
In all fairness, while I didn't mock anyone in any threads . . .

Sir, I don't recall you mocking anyone opposed to, or even merely pointing out the possible problems with, "legalization" of marijuana, and I apologize if you thought my post was implying you did.

However, there were many others who clearly believed "legal weed" would be a virtual panacea for all problems related to marijuana, and were eager to mock those who were willing to point out the myriad problems with "legalization."

The grey market, the black market, affects of taxation on those markets, use (overuse) of toxic pesticides/herbicides to increase crop yield, etc.

The utopia the pro-weed predicted has not come to pass.

Although it's about CA, not CO, this is indicative of the problmes:
http://www.thecannifornian.com...s-pesticide-problem/ (and that's from a site that's "pro-weed)

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
"What I've come to realize is that freedom is a great thing and should be promoted whenever possible...BUT for Freedom to work it must be accompanied by personal and moral responsibility, which seems to be largely lacking now.

Knowing what I know now, if I was able to vote again on the issue I would vote against legalization. But the genie is out of the bottle and I don't see it being put back in. Sadly, the best thing that can happen for Colorado is if other states follow suit and legalize marijuana so that we can "export" some of our problems and lessen the impact locally."

I couldn't put my finger on why society would regret legalizing MJ since I didn't have enough experience to guide my perspective. I just sensed it was a bad move. Now we see why and it's too late. My spidey senses tell me it's an even bigger mistake to "export" Colorado's problems to other States in the name of easing the burden by spreading the load. I don't think it will happen the way you think it will.

My comment about "exporting" CO's MJ problem, I said it tongue-in-cheek, and selfishly. Truthfully, while I wouldn't presume to tell others what to support, I wouldn't dream of wishing the negative impacts of MJ legalization on other states.

Pets, not pot guys.

quote:

Originally posted by DMF:

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
In all fairness, while I didn't mock anyone in any threads . . .

Sir, I don't recall you mocking anyone opposed to, or even merely pointing out the possible problems with, "legalization" of marijuana, and I apologize if you thought my post was implying you did.

DMF we're good, no apology necessary. I didn't take your comment personally, and just wanted to point out that as a former legalization supporter that I didn't deride anyone's opinions contrary to my own.

Thanks for the article link, I found it interesting.

Jim, I apologize for side-tracking your thread.

I wasn't aware of this issue and, while at my age and level of life experience I shouldn't be surprised at the depravity of some, I still find myself distraught by this story.

Folks will do whatever it takes to get their fix. Back before I retired from pharmacy I had a fellow call me and ask that I not fill any prescription for his retarded daughter, he told me that his wife and non retarded daughter would threaten the retarted daughter and make her go to doctors offices and cry and tell then that she hurt in order for the mom and daughter to get pain meds, they would go so far as to beat her up to make her story more convincing. To make matters worse the retarted daughter was a welfare recipient so the taxpayers footed the bill for moms drug habit. I called the local doctors offices and shut them down locally and then I call dvthe Alabama Medicaid’s office and told them but they were not interested in trying to stop the abuse.

I knew our local newspaper was a little slow or behind the rest of the world but this story just showed up in this morning's paper.

Usually, news shows up here on SigForum before it hits any other common sources. I look here first, even before I turn on Fox News!

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
Wait, I thought pot was so cheap and legal in Colorado, so all other drugs would be ignored.

Not so at all. When marijuana was legalized in CO it was taxed at such a high rate that the illegal pot market is thriving. It's true that many who can afford it buy their pot legally but law enforcement spend a good bit of their time and resources raiding illegal pot grow operations. Illegal pot grows were in operation prior to legalization but have greatly increased since it was legalized. National forests, rural ranching areas, and many illegal grows inside suburban homes. Many of the larger illegal grows are run by foreign cartels. All the associated crimes with illegal pot grows are common as well, including exporting it out of state, theft and murder.

...and yes, heroin and opiod use is a huge problem in CO and on the rise.

I wasn't aware that addicts were harming animals and this story saddens me.

Exactly this, the big difference between legalization and decriminalization.